From the President…

At ProAct, our desire is to be flexible and innovative as we respond to the needs and desires of our participants and their teams. Not every new idea makes it into the final product or program, but the point is that we are actively trying new things and sometimes stepping outside of traditions and norms. I think that will continue to be necessary when focusing on person-centered service delivery.

You may be aware that the number of people on the autism spectrum and with related communication disorders has been increasing. We too have found this to be true. Parents and guardians often ask us what we can do to enhance our services for this population of participants.

Multiple approaches provide a greater opportunity for success, but a new one in the works is ProAct’s Autism Center. We raised some dollars for this project through the “Give to the Max” campaign. You also may have seen a holiday email from me with a request for support. The concept is to have a calming environment for people to go to when the stressors of the day become too much. And, our staff receive more specialized training. Our board is committed to the project.

I want to share my apologies for the first rain-out of our Golf Classic in my memory. The gourmet dinner was moved up and people retreated from the weather for some good fun inside. People were very understanding, cheerful and willing to support us. And for that, I am very grateful.
I’m pleased to report that ProAct continues to be in a very stable position. Much of our funding and ability to provide service depends on decisions made at the state Legislature. That process picks up again with the new session in February, and we will connect with our elected officials as necessary.

I wish everyone the best over the holidays and look forward to greater things in 2020. Not long ago, that year seemed so far away. When we are all busy using our talents to help others, we can feel satisfied and fulfilled. Our work isn’t always easy, but delivering desired outcomes for our participants is worth it.

Steve Ditschler